Dear Editor: My name is Maite Lorente. I am a KCAW volunteer, and a member of this community since 2005.
On April 28, my country of origin, Spain, experienced a widespread power outage, impacting millions and causing disruptions across the country, including transportation, communication, and essential services. The outage led to the declaration of a state of emergency in several regions and it was ongoing for more than 12 hours.
During those hours, the only way to find out about updates on the situation, and to help assist with emergency response was the Spanish public radio. Local radio stations reported on the chaos caused by the outage, including traffic jams, stalled subway cars, and the evacuation of some areas. The public radio also helped communities reporting on resident’s experiences and the efforts to restore power.
It is crucial, imperative even, that we, Sitka citizens, protect our own local public radio. The role it had during our own internet fiasco was crucial. Raven Radio is one of the sources that can and does provide essential information during emergencies. The emergency weather alerts, the public safety updates on the landslide risk dashboard are crucial services for the safety of each and everyone in this community.
Raven Radio is being impacted by an executive order by the administration in power. Please, call your federal representatives and tell them Sitka wants to protect public media in our community. Do it now, before the next storm hits us.
Maite Lorente Rial, Sitka
